How to Prolong the Life of Your HVAC?

by Kevin Smith Author

An HVAC is a large, expensive piece of equipment that is often vital for the comfort of your home. All HVACs need replacing at some point, but you don’t want that to happen sooner than necessary. You also won’t want it to slow down or lose energy efficiency, which would mean higher bills. There are steps you can take to help you prolong the life of your machine, such as getting HVAC maintenance in Buckhead. Here are some of the most important.

Filters

Your HVAC should already have a filter, but get one if it doesn’t. Ideally, you should get one of the new pleated filters, as these use an electrostatic charge to attract the smallest of particles, keeping your air that much cleaner. Check the filters every month and replace as needed, but you should change it at least every 90 days, even if it doesn’t look too dark or clogged to you.

Cleaning

The indoor parts of the HVAC generally need to be professionally cleaned, though a professional can show you how to stave off air conditioner clogs with a diluted bleach solution. There is more you can do to protect your outdoor unit, too. Make sure your unit is level and regularly check for debris. Remove any sticks, pollen, or leaves that get caught in it. It helps if you have at least 2 feet of clearance around it and if you’re careful when mowing your lawn so that you don’t get your grass clippings into it.

Avoid Strain

There are a few ways to avoid straining your machine. For instance, don’t make it work more than it has to. In the summer, you can shut off the water supply to the furnace humidifier and turn it back on in the fall with the humidistat set tow35-40% relative humidity. You should also avoid closing more than 20% of the registers in the building.

Inspection and Maintenance

Every month, you should inspect the refrigerant lines that lead into the house and replace any that are damaged or missing. You should also have professionals inspect it every fall and service it as necessary before it starts working overtime. It spends the year accumulating dust and dirt in unwanted areas and condensation on coils and air filters, and all of this can make the HVAC lose energy efficiency. Regular HVAC maintenance in Buckhead can help you prevent that.